Prishtina, 15 May 2026
Dear journalists,
Dear citizens,
Commissioner Kos, welcome to Prishtina on your first visit to Kosovo since taking office. Commissioner Kos and I had a productive and direct meeting, and allow me to share with you the main topics and messages discussed.
With Commissioner Kos, we discussed the progress Kosovo has made in recent years in advancing democracy and economic growth, as well as in the accession chapters.
Over the past six years, we have advanced by 28 positions in the Corruption Perceptions Index, while this year we advanced by 15 positions in the Press Freedom Index. We rank third among the 15 countries of Southeast Europe and second among the six Western Balkan countries in terms of progress in the rule of law. Our economy has recorded continuous growth and remains stable in its progress, with a 4% increase in gross domestic product.
We share common values with the European Union and are fully aligned with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy. We condemned Russian aggression against Ukraine in the strongest terms; we have provided military and humanitarian support to Ukraine, offered shelter to Ukrainian journalists, and joined all sanctions against the Russian Federation.
We ratified the agreements under the Growth Plan, adopted the decision on the implementation system, and on 16 April began receiving pre-financing in the amount of 61.8 million euros. Six reform steps have been confirmed by the European Commission, and we expect further steps by the June deadline.
Nevertheless, the lack of a functional Assembly during the past year, and even now, has caused delays in some reforms, which are now also at risk with regard to the June deadline. We are working to the maximum extent possible to minimize the impact on reforms caused by the blockade in the Assembly.
In recent years, Kosovo has advanced in preparedness across many chapters. We achieved moderate progress in preparedness in five chapters and a certain level of preparedness in eight other chapters. Likewise, we moved from limited progress to substantial progress in 18 chapters, and from substantial progress to good progress in five other chapters. Therefore, we are making continuous and sustainable progress.
We have the most advanced constitutional framework for minority rights in the region. The report of the Council of Europe assessing our application for membership emphasizes that Kosovo’s legal framework, particularly its Constitution, goes beyond international standards.
We have contractual relations with the European Union, have enjoyed visa liberalization since 1 January 2024, are part of the Regional Common Market and the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, and are beneficiaries of the European Union’s pre-accession instruments, for which I thanked Commissioner Kos.
With Commissioner Marta Kos, we also raised the issue of candidate status and the opening of accession negotiations. More than 40 months have passed since we applied, and the renewed momentum for enlargement by the European Union should result in Kosovo’s deserved advancement.
Public support for the European Union and for EU membership consistently remains around 90% in our country and is among the highest of all candidate countries.
We are aware of the challenges that exist, but unity in engagement is required. Finding unity within the European Union to take decisions regarding Kosovo is a shared responsibility. Certainly, we are working with Member States, but the institutions of the European Union must also push this unity forward. Enlargement is the most successful instrument of the European Union’s foreign policy. The vacuum left by the European Union is being targeted by other malicious actors who undermine European Union values and threaten our common security; therefore, it is the responsibility of all of us to ensure Kosovo advances in the integration process.
We also discussed regional cooperation. The key to successful regional cooperation is good European unneighborly relations. Kosovo has experienced two terrorist attacks in the past three years: in Banjska on 24 September 2023, and on the Iber-Lepenc canal, critical infrastructure, on 29 November 2024. Both were directed and financed by our northern neighbour.
Accountability for these attacks is essential, because without accountability the threat to our security remains high. We have an aggressive neighbour that attacks us instead of cooperating with us. This is a challenge not only for security but also for regional cooperation.
Nevertheless, we are proactive and have contributed to the economic integration of the region. In CEFTA, under our direct representation for the first time, we chaired successfully while also passing all remaining protocols in the Assembly. We have signed five agreements within the Berlin Process, which is now closely linked to the Regional Common Market. These agreements must be implemented. Bosnia and Herzegovina, as you know, still has not lifted visas for Kosovo, while Serbia continues to block the agreement on the recognition of diplomas, which is fully in line with European Union standards and directives.
A few days ago, we celebrated 9 May – Europe Day. The European Union is a project of peace and prosperity; it is the largest and most successful such project in Europe since the Second World War. Kosovo has benefited from the European Union, for which we are deeply grateful.
We are also thankful for the support of the European Union, which is our strategic partner and at the same time our largest donor. Since 1999, when we were liberated, the European Union has invested more than 3.7 billion euros in Kosovo.
We have made progress in fundamental pillars, and we are convinced that this deserves to be recognized by the European Union in the context of enlargement. We are not asking for shortcuts or a back door, only for a merit-based process.
Thank you!
